Abdul El-Sayed Defends Hasan Piker Ties

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed declined on NBC’s “Meet the Press” to say he would stop campaigning with streamer Hasan Piker, despite Piker’s past statement that “America deserved 9/11.” El-Sayed called the remark “a dumb statement” and said his priority was reaching Piker’s audience rather than endorsing every comment Piker has made. Former Jill Biden press secretary Michael LaRosa said he would not support El-Sayed over the refusal to distance himself. The exchange sharpened scrutiny of El-Sayed’s outreach to Piker’s online audience in the Senate race.